McCrea pays a visit to Rhythm and Rhyme session in Lisburn City Library

LOCAL MLA Basil McCrea has visited Lisburn City Library as they welcomed around 40 young babies and toddlers under four, into their weekly ‘Rhythm and Rhyme’ sessions.

The UUP Education spokesperson plans to support the benefits of the Libraries NI scheme at the Assembly due to the vast range of positive benefits it has to young children’s early development.

“The children here are not only enjoying themselves, but they are receiving the crucial foundations for later education as they are also benefiting from improved concentration, listening skills and expanded social skills for when they enter into a school environment,” stated Mr McCrea.

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“The children not only have been proven to find words easier to learn during these fun activities, but they also have stimulating actions to go along with their play which has been showed in studies to give them a much greater capacity for language and literacy.

“Additionally the opportunity to play along to the rhymes with both gestures and instruments captures the babies and toddlers attention, to allow them a new way to bond with both their mothers and others, supporting their emotional wellbeing as well as their later education.

“By strengthening these communication skills early, children tend to engage and thrive as they grow approach education with much greater confidence.

“The Rhythm and Rhyme sessions in Lisburn Library are well loved and supported by the community, and must continue to be supported within the Assembly as well.”

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Lisburn City Library runs the Rhythm and Rhyme sessions each Thursday at 10am and 11am. Bookings are limited to one adult place with accompanying children, and due to the overwhelming demand places must be booked on the phone on 02892633355 or in person either on a Wednesday evening between 6pm and 8pm, or on a Thursday morning after 9am.